Spring coiling machine stripper interlock



Aug. 20, 1963 1. M cHAMBERs SPRING COILING MACHINE STRIPPER INTERLOCK Filed Jan. 25, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m E. 3)- v N n3 3 3 R 1-..? v R nw WWLFII Hr (To u o E 5 Q Y mm M mm g E 0 NW6. .W A M m. y

Aug. 20, 1.963 I 1. M. CHAMBERS 12.

' SPRING comm; MACHINE STRIPPER INTERLOCK Filed Jan, 23, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 IN VEN TOR. 3 LsAAcM. CHAMB g- 0., 6 M. CHAMBERS 3,101,112

SPR ING COILING MACHINE STRI PPER INTERLOCK Filed Jan-J 2a,. 1961 s sheets-snet 3 H2 4 5 147 I 44 I INVENTOR. 0/0 IsAAcM. CHAMBEES H15 A T'T'ORA/EV This invention relates generally to spring coiling apparatus for making heavy hot wound helical springs and more particularly to an interlock structure and circuit requiring the discharge of a workpiece beforethe spring COlllIlg machine can recycle to produce the next spring.

Spring coiling machines have a smooth cylindrical mandrel disposed between a chuck and a stripping plate and around which the hot bar stock is wound to form the helical spring. After the spring is formed the mandrel is withdrawn to strip the spring therefrom. If the stock is greater than a predetermined amount the stripped spring will remain between the chuck face and the stripping plate and will not fall away from the machine. After a time delay the mandrel is moved back with force and if the spring has not dropped free from the machine it will be crushed and will have to be refitted by hand or scrapped.

If the formed spring is caught upon the clamp bar or stop pin and is cocked between the face of the clutch and the stripping plate the return of the mandrel destroys the formed spring thus making it scrap.

Under either condition these losses are considerable in the present practice.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an interlocking structure and circuit requiring the formed coil to pass from the spring coiling apparatus and out of the vicinity of the mandrel before the latter is permitted to return to its normal winding position.

Another object is the provision of a pivoted section in a discharge chute to be engaged by a wound spring after having passed from the vicinity of the mandrel in the coiling machine which pivotal section closes a switch for the purpose of completing the circuit to permit the mandrel to return to its normal spring coiling position.

Anothei' objectis the provision of a transfer removing a workpiece from the vicinity of the coiling machine only after it has actuated a circuit when clear of the machine to return the mandrel and also initiate a circuit for actuating the transfer device to remove the same from the vicinity of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of this invention appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification without limiting this invention or the claims thereto, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention; wherein I FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a spring coiling machine containing this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with parts either broken away or removed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic circuit for controlling the operation of the coiling machine and a holding circuit to prevent return of mandrel until spring is clear of machine.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1 a bed or base 1 of the machine extends for the full length thereof and supports the gear housing 2 at one end on which is mounted the motor 3 having a V-belt drive 4 to supply power to a gear train within the gear housing 2. The main drive from the gear housing is on the centerline 5 which supports the rotating air cylinder 6 on one side of the gear case 2 and 3,19 l ,1 l2 Patented Aug. 20, 1963 ice ' ter. The chuck member 12 is mounted on the shaft 11 the intermediate chuck centering air cylinder indicated at v and supports the free end of the mandrel. 13 the opposite end of which is supported by the slide assembly and it passes throughthe stripper bracket 14 having awstripper face plate '15 through which the mandrel :13 is withdrawn by the stripper slide assembly 16. The slide assembly is carried by the overhead beam 17 and is [actuated by the servomotor stripper air cylinder 18. The overhead beam 17 is supported at its right end by the bracket 20 on the gear case 2 and the left end is supported by the bracket 2'1 mounted on the left end of the bed 1. A pair of lead screw brackets 22 and 2-3 are supported from the bridge 17 for the purpose of rotatably supporting the lead screw 24 which is of opposite hand to that of the helical coil being formed and is rotated in the direction opposite to that of the mandrel so that the hot bar entering between the grooves 25 of the lead screw 24 and the mandrel'will be in effect rolled between the surfaces of the grooves 25 and the mandrel when coiling the spring.

The train of gears 26 driven from an appropriate shaft in the gear case 2 rotates the lead screw so that the surface speed of the lead screw andthe surface speed of the mandrel function to properly aid in allowing the hot bar to feed onto the mandrel in forming the spring.

If the spring being formed has a greater length of stock than that required for the particular gauge distance between the face 27 of the chuck and the face of the stripper plate 15 then the spring will be retained between these opposed surfaces even after the mandrel 13 has been retracted. Under this condition the operator gives the spring :a shove to push it out of the position to discharge.

The spring may be cocked and held by the clamp bar 30 or the stop -28 in which case the operator may merely shove the spring or lift it slightly with tongs so that it will pass todischarge.

If the electronic mechanism stops the chuck so that the clamp bar 30 is at the top instead of the bottom as indicated in FIG. 2 and the bar stock is within the tolerances required for making the spring, as soon as the'mandrel 13 is retracted from the spring it will drop to discharge in its normal course of operation.

Referring now to FIG. 2 the spring or workpiece indicated at 32 drops to the discharge plate member 33 and rolls over the spring loaded platform 34 which is pivotally supported at 31 and is normally held in the position as shown. When the spring coil or workpiece rolls on the plate 34 it depresses the same until the latter engages the stop 35 at which time the adjustable projection 36 strikes the arm 37 which operates the limit switch 38. This switch 38 may have two functions controlled by operating independent front contacts of a separate relay 98. One contact permits the closing of the circuit to energize the mandrel return cylinder 18 and another contact closes a circuit to actuates a solenoid that controls, the air cylinder 40, which when energized moves the piston 41 outwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines. The piston is connected to the cross arm 42 which has secured thereto a frame member 43 having opposite sides each of which is mounted on the shaft 44 the ends of which are journaled in the bearings 45. The upper end of the frame 43 is connected by the angle trough 46 having an upwardly extending tongue 47. When the coil spring 32 rides over the plate 34 depressing the same and actuating the switch 38 it falls into the trough 46 as indicated at which time the air cylinder 40 is energized to swing the transfer mechanism to the position as indicated in dotted lines and permitting the spring to roll over the inspection surface 48 which contains a temperature reading device such as a photoelectric eye and if the temperature is proper for quenching the eye actuates the trap door 56 to close the same and allow the Workpiece to roll over the trap door 5 to the storage position 51 whence it is stopped by the tilt bucket 52 which is pivotally mounted on the pivot member 53 and if this bucket is open as indicated the spring rolls onto the bucket causing the latter to tilt to its dotted position and permit the spring to roll onto a conveyor (not shown) which carries the workpiece into the quench tank 54.

The tilt bucket 52 is provided with two sides 55 and 56 which join at an obtuse angle to provide a seat for the spring when being tilted from one position to the other. When the tilt bucket rises or swings to deposit one spring the stop board 57 rises to the position as shown in dotted lines to prevent the next succeeding spring to be stopped thereby when resting on the storage portion -1.

Referring to FIG. 4 the power supply is indicated by the lines 60 and 61 which supply the primary of the transformer 62 the secondary of which supplies current through the fuse 63', the emergency stop pushbutton 64 to the line 65 and from the other side of the secondary to the line 66.

The motor starter MS is energized by the start pushbutton 67. This motor starter is provided with a front contact 68 that shunts the pushbutton 67 to form a stick circuit and maintains the starter energized. The normally closed overload contacts 69 are also provided in the motor starter line.

The clutch and brake mechanism 70 is shown diagramm'atically by a broken dine and includes a clutch relay 71 and a counting mechanism energizing coil 72 one side of which is connected to the line 66 and the opposite side of the clutch relay 71 is connected to the line 65 by the foot switch 73 and the line 74. The clutch relay 71 has two front contacts 77 and 75 and one back contact 73 and is maintained energized through its front contact 77 when closed and its front contact 75 in turn connects the line 65 directly to the solenoid 76 the other side of which is connected to the line 66 for the purpose of actuating the chuck to close the same. The circuit also energizes the relay TRl in multiple with the solenoid 76.

When the counting mechanism energizing coil CLS or 72 becomes energized through its own normally closed back contact CLS1 will open after a predetermined num ber of revolutions made by the spindle.

The normally open front contact 77 is' the stick contact for clutch relay 71 and is in multiple with the foot switch 73 thus connecting lines 65 and 7 l. v

The normally closed or back contact 7 8 of clutch relay 71 is also employed within the mechanism 70 for the purpose of interrupting the TRZ' relay. This contact 78 is connected in series with the front contact TRIA of TR1 relay which in turn connects the line 65 to the line '80 and one side of the normally closed back contact 78 of clutch relay 71, the other side of which is connected by the line 81 to the contact 82 of the manual control for hand operation and automatic operation and thence to line 79, the TRZ relay and line 66. As shown the control is on automatic which maintains contacts 82 and 83 closed. When turned to hand or manual operation contacts 32 and 83 are open. Contact 83 connects line 80 to line 84 to energize the CR1 relay the opposite side of which is connected to line 66.

The limit switch LS1 has three contacts indicated as A, B and C. Contacts A and B are back contact-s normally closed and contact C is a front contact normally open. This limit switch is mounted on the bridge 17 and is engaged by the stripping slide assembly 16 when the latter is retracted to the left in FIG. 1.

The limit switch LS2 is provided with two normally closed contacts and is likewise mounted on the bridge number 17 in the vicinity of the stripping plate and is engaged by the stripper slide assembly 16 when moved to 1 the right as shown in FIG. 1 when the mandrel 13 is seated within the chuck 12.

The LSlA contact next to the line 85 when closed connects line 65 to 85 and the CIMA normally open or front contact when initially energized through the TRl relay will close and hold the CR1 relay energized by conmeeting the line =85 and CRlA with the line 80 in the auto matic operation of the machine.

The TRZ relay is provided with a normally open front contact TRZA which connects the line 66 with the line 86 and the L518 contact thence to the line 8 7 that com pletes the circuit to the solenoid 88 that actuates the valve to admit air for the purpose of retracting the stripper slide assembly by energizing the cylinders 18 and 19. The opposite side of the solenoid 88 is connected to the lllne 55. A manual control for the strip and return is shown by the control lever 89 which has the contacts 90 and 91. When the manual control 89 is positioned to strip, the contact 96 is placed in multiple with the 'FRZA contact thus shunting out the latter.

A TR3 relay has two normally open contacts TR3'A and TRSB. This relay is energized from line 65 through the LS1C contact to the line 93 which is connected by the LSZA contact for the purpose of energizing the line 94 and the TR3 relay the other side of which is connected to the line 66. The TR3A contact is in multiple with the LSl'C contact and thus forms a stick circuit for the TR3 relay which is opened by the LSZA contact.

The second contact indicated at TR3B supplies current from the line 66 through the normally closed contact 91 when the control 89 is positioned to return thereby connecting energizing line 96 which in turn is connected to the line 97 through the LSZB contact, TRSB contact, line 95, contact 105 when closed, line 166, advancing solenoid 10 7, to line 65. Relay 98 has its coil energized through the roll off table switch 38 which is actuated by the pivoted plate 34. Upon the closing of the roll off table pivot plate contact 38 current is supplied from line 65 to line 100 for contact by means of the line 104. After a suitable time delay the coil 102. will open the contact 1103 and thus deenergize the relay 98 and the timing relay 102.

For that period that relay 98 is closed it also closes contact to connect the line 97 to the line 106 and the mandrel return air valve solenoid 107 the other side of which is connected to line 66.

Thus the roll olf table pivot plate limit switch 38 requires that a coil strike and close this switch before the mandrel may be returned. This prevents the mandrel from returning before the spring is free of the machine which normally would cause the mandrel to crush or otherwise injure the spring if it were skewed or otherwise held between the chuck and the stripping plate.

I claim:

1. A spring winding machine having a rotary chuck with an open chuck socket, a stripping plate supported from said machine and spaced from said chuck and having a mandrel clearance opening aligned with said chuck socket, a rotatable mandrel supported on said machine to slide axially and advance through the opening in said stripping plate and into said open chuck socket to be rotated thereby for winding a spring on said mandrel, servomotor means connected for reciprocating said mandrel to advance the latter through said stripping plate opening and into said open chuck socket for 'winding a spring thereon and for retracting said mandrel to strip the spring therefrom, a discharge plate below said stripping plate for receiving the springs stripped from said mandrel, switch means connected with said discharge plate and actuated 2. The spring winding machine of claim 1 characterized in that said circuit means includes a relay energized by said switch means,-said relay having a front contact shunting said switch means, said circuit means also including a time delay in opening relay energized by said switch means, a back contact of said time delay in opening relay in series with the energizing circuit of said relay and said time delay relay to open the circuit of both relays after the time delay period of the time delay relay.

3. The spring winding machine of claim 2 characterized in that said circuit means controlling the advancing movement of said mandrel also includes a second front contact of said first relay to initiate a circuit to return said mandrel.

4. The spring winding machine of claim 3 which also to operate said spring transfer means.

includes a limit switch in the circuit of said second front contact to interrupt said mandrel return initiating circuit.

5. The spring winding machine of claim 4 which also includes a spring transfer means in said discharge plate, and second circuit means completed by said switch means to initiate the operation of said transfer means.

6. The spring winding machine of claim 4 characterized by a spring transfer means in said discharge plate, second circuit means completed by said switch means to initiate the operation of said transfer means and power means 7. The spring winding machine of claim 6 characterized in that said power means is a fluid actuated motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

1. A SPRING WINDING MACHINE HAVING A ROTARY CHUCK WITH AN OPEN CHUCK SOCKET, A STRIPPING PLATE SUPPORTED FROM SAID MACHINE AND SPACED FROM SAID CHUCK AND HAVING A MANDREL CLEARANCE OPENING ALIGNED WITH SAID CHUCK SOCKET, A ROTATABLE MANDREL SUPPORTED ON SAID MACHINE TO SLIDE AXIALLY AND ADVANCE THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID STRIPPING PLATE AND INTO SAID OPEN CHUCK SOCKET TO BE ROTATED THEREBY FOR WINDING A SPRING ON SAID MANDREL, SERVOMOTOR MEANS CONNECTED FOR RECIPROCATING SAID MANDREL TO ADVANCE THE LATTER THROUGH SAID STRIPPING PLATE OPENING AND INTO SAID OPEN CHUCK SOCKET FOR WINDING A SPRING THEREON AND FOR RETRACTING SAID MANDREL TO STRIP THE SPRING THEREFROM, A DISCHARGE PLATE BELOW SAID STRIPPING PLATE FOR RECEIVING THE SPRINGS STRIPPED FROM SAID MANDREL, SWITCH MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID DISCHARGE PLATE AND ACTUATED BY A DISCHARGED SPRING PASSING ALONG SAID DISCHARGE PLATE, AND CIRCUIT MEANS COMPLETED BY SAID SWITCH MEANS TO INITIATE THE OPERATION OF SAID SERVOMEANS AND THEREBY CONTROL THE ADVANCING MOVEMENT OF SAID MANDREL. 